S A V A N N A H R I V E R N U C L E A R S O L U T I O N S

JULY 2014

Veterans to Careers

SRNS AMP group pitches in to support Buddy Baseball

SRNS, Aiken Tech join forces for the future

Intern James Holiday turns personal tragedy into a triumph

I N T H I S I S S U E

U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz visits the Savannah River Site

secretary

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So it seems fitting that in this, the most patriotic of months, some of our country’s most distinguished leaders chose July as the month to visit the Savannah River Site.

The Site’s contributions to the security of our nation and the safety of the world are well-documented. But nothing can substitute for a visit to see firsthand the facilities and meet the workforce that makes it all possible.

Our distinguished guests included U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, S.C. Governor Nikki Haley, Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Tim Scott, Representative Joe Wilson, and Lt. General Frank Klotz, Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator.

Of particular note on their tour of SRS were the H Canyon facilities and the Savannah River National Laboratory’s Applied Research Center. H Canyon is the only hardened chemical separations facility still in use in our nation and is a key component of many of our environmental stewardship and nuclear nonproliferation missions at SRS. Savannah River National Laboratory is the Department of Energy’s only national laboratory for Environmental Management, and also focuses on national security, nuclear materials and clean energy innovations for our country.

The roots of SRS are irrevocably entwined in our nation’s history. The Site was built during the Cold War era, when geopolitical tensions ran high and U.S. patriotism ran deep. That patriotism still thrives at SRS in a workforce that takes seriously our missions of the present and the future.

I’m pleased that our guests were able to meet our people and tour the Site. I’m confident that their visit yielded new insights into the pivotal role of SRS in the safety and security of the region, the nation and the world.

I hope you enjoy this edition of SRNS Today. As always, thank you for your interest in Savannah River Nuclear Solutions.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC, is a Fluor-led company whose members are Fluor Federal Services, Newport News Nuclear and Honeywell. Since August 2008, SRNS has been the management and operating contractor for the Savannah River Site, a Department of Energy-owned site near Aiken, South Carolina, including the Savannah River National Laboratory. The SRNS corporate and community offices are located in the renovated 1912 “Old Post Office” building in Aiken, S.C. The primary initiatives of SRNS are national security, clean energy and environmental stewardship. SRNS Today is published monthly by SRNS Corporate Communications to inform our stakeholders of the company’s operational and community-related activities. If you have questions or comments, please contact us at 803.952.9584 or visit our website.

to the July 2014 edition of

SRNS Today

Welcome

Carol JohnsonSRNS President and CEO

www.savannahrivernuclearsolutions.com

About Savannah River Nuclear Solutions

In July, legions of American flags snap in the breeze and military march music fills the air, punctuated by the thunder and flare of fireworks.

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Energy Secretary

Moniz visits SRS

National and state leaders converge for tours, discussionsEnergy Secretary Ernest Moniz visited the Savannah River Site (SRS) on July 28, where he met with workers, local elected officials, and stakeholders and engaged in discussions on the Site’s leadership in national security, environmental stewardship, and the development of cutting-edge environmental remediation technologies.

Secretary Moniz was joined by S.C. Governor Nikki Haley, Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Tim Scott, Representative Joe Wilson,

SRNL’s Steve Xiao (from left), Sharon Redd and Tommy Sessions explain the research and development process behind SRNL’s Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP) for Secretary Moniz. SRNL has continually improved TCAP’s ability to enrich tritium gas in a smaller space, and in a more cost-effective process. The tour took place at SRNL’s Hydrogen Technology Research Laboratory. TCAP is deployed in the Site’s Tritium facilities.

and Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator Frank Klotz.

H Canyon, H Tank Farm and the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility were included in the Site tour. The Secretary also met with members of the community and participated in a media availability session. Later in the day, Secretary Moniz toured the Savannah River National Laboratory’s (SRNL) Applied Research Center.

More photos on Pages 4-5

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Gathering for a tour of H Canyon were (from left) SRNL Director and SRNS Executive Vice President Dr. Terry Michalske; DOE-Savannah River Manager Dr. David Moody; Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator Klotz; SRNS President and CEO Carol Johnson; Representative Wilson; Secretary Moniz; John MacWilliams, Senior Advisor to the Secretary; NNSA Acting Chief and Associate Administrator for the Office of Defense Nuclear Security Doug Dearolph; and DOE Chief of Staff Kevin Knobloch.

Secretary Moniz answers questions at the DOE-Savannah River all-hands meeting. Present for the discussion were (seated in front, from left) S.C. Governor Nikki Haley, Senator Tim Scott, Representative Joe Wilson, Senator Lindsey Graham, and Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator Frank Klotz.

Secretary Moniz speaks during a community “question and answer” session.SRNL’s Senior Engineer Brenda Garcia-Diaz and Principal Engineer Dr. John Gray discuss their work in materials research for solar power with Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

Energy Secretary Moniz visits SRS

Secretary Moniz toured H Canyon along with (from left) Dr. Michalske; DOE-SR Senior Technical Advisor Allen Gunter; and SRNS Senior Vice President of Environmental Management Operations Paul Hunt.

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SRNS supports NNSA Life Extension Program, completes testing two years ahead of schedule SRNS has achieved a significant accomplishment in support of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) B61-12 Life Extension Program (LEP), part of a key program that enables the NNSA to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent without producing new weapons.

NNSA conducts LEPs to repair and/or replace components of nuclear weapons to extend the “life,” or time that a weapon can safely and reliably remain in the stockpile.

As part of the LEP for the B61, the Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE) produced and completed function testing of a new Gas Transfer System (GTS) designed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The task was accomplished two years ahead of the original schedule to support LANL’s need for testing to confirm the assembly’s design and operation.

This marks yet another tritium research and development task that SRNS has conducted for other NNSA customers. The project, which involved personnel from the Tritium Facilities and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), included the design and manufacture of tooling, loading, pinch-welding, assembly and function test operations. LANL customers were present to witness the initial test and expressed their appreciation for a job well done.

The B61-12 LEP is now in its third year of development engineering, and is scheduled for a first production unit no later than the end of FY20. SRTE encompasses all of the people, expertise, facilities and activities involving tritium – a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is a key component of nuclear weapons – at SRS. In addition to the Site’s Tritium Facilities, it includes portions of SRNL as well as supporting organizations.

SRTE’s production and testing of a new Gas Transfer System was a significant accomplishment in support of NNSA’s B61 Life Extension Program.

As part of his visit to SRS with Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA

Administrator Lt. General (Ret.) Frank Klotz (center) visited the Savannah River Tritium Enterprise facilities, which make up

a key element of NNSA’s nuclear defense mission. Promising to return to SRS for an in-depth visit in the coming months,

Lt. Gen. Klotz saw the facilities where the nation’s tritium is handled for supplying the U.S. military’s needs. Also pictured on

the tour are NNSA Acting Chief and Associate Administrator for the Office of Defense Nuclear Security Doug Dearolph (left),

and SRNS Director of Tritium Operations Lee Schifer.

In September, the SRS Information Pods will travel to Beaufort, S.C. The free event will be held Monday, Sept. 22, at Beaufort High School, 84 Sea Island Parkway.

Participants at the Information Pods may select two of the following four presentations to attend: Nuclear Materials Management; Environmental Monitoring and Restoration; Waste Management; and the Savannah River National Laboratory.

Registration will begin at 5 p.m. on the day of the event and is on a first come, first served basis. Exhibits and poster displays will also begin at 5 p.m., with presentations starting at 6 p.m. and concluding by 8 p.m.

Information Pods coming to Beaufort

Welcome to the

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For directions to the Beaufort Information Pods and to see photos from the Aiken and Barnwell Information Pods, please visit www.srs.gov/general/outreach/srs_info_pods

Touring Tritium Facilities

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W

“Because of strong partnerships like the one with SRNS, Aiken Technical College is able to help citizens gain the skills

to be successful in a high-demand nuclear career and to provide the workforce that area employers need.”

Dr. Susan Winsor

ince 2008, SRNS and Aiken Technical College (ATC) have worked together to develop graduates who go on to lead successful careers in the region and, frequently, at SRS.

SRNS has provided support to ATC in the form of monetary grants, donated equipment and expert consultation, which has helped form multiple programs fulfilling vocational needs in many areas within SRNS.

ATC’s programs related to manufacturing, information technology, nuclear quality systems and radiation protection, as well as others, have produced dozens of knowledgeable and well-trained students who are now SRS employees.

“We often look to area technical schools to provide qualified job candidates,” said Carol Barry, Director, Workforce Services and Talent Management. “This staffing strategy minimizes the investment in extensive developmental training, which was previously required for many of our new employees.”

Recent ATC graduates Julia Brantley, Kayla Corbett and Taylor Barton are all working within the SRNS Radiation Protection Program. “The program at ATC was very helpful, giving me a good head start,” said Taylor Barton, SRNS Radiological Control Inspector. “I took on this opportunity feeling confident that I already knew a lot of the information and terminology others would have to learn on the job.”

Former Aiken Technical College students Taylor Barton (left) and Toria Edwards, work through annual requalification training as SRNS Radiological Control Inspectors.

Students gain technical skills, employment through SRNS, Aiken Tech partnership

TREAT workshop offers area teachers insights into engineering and nuclear fields

Breaking new ground

Aiken Technical College President Dr. Susan Winsor notes that ATC often acts as a catalyst and an engaging interface for their intern students and recent graduates, assisting with their placement within local business and industry.

“ATC works closely with local industry and community partners to ensure that our students’ training and curriculum match our area’s workforce needs,” Winsor said. “Because of strong partnerships like the one with SRNS, ATC is able to help citizens gain the skills to be successful in a high-demand nuclear career and to provide the workforce that area employers need.”

Over the last year, SRNS has hired more than 60 employees from area technical colleges.

With funding assistance from SRNS, Aiken Technical College (ATC) recently broke ground for the future Center for Energy and Advanced Manufacturing on July 17. Area manufacturers, members of the South Carolina legislative delegation and members of the local business community attended the event. In addition to SRNS President and CEO Carol Johnson (third from left), participants in the ceremonies included (from left) Bridgestone Vice President Fran Jones and Aiken County Plant manager John Stewart; Johnson; ATC President Susan Winsor; URS General Manager James Taylor; and Shaw Areva MOX Services Executive Vice President Gilles Rousseau.

eachers from area schools gathered July 23 for the TREAT (Teaching Radiation Energy and Technology) workshop at the University of South Carolina Aiken.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the workshop is designed to provide local math and science teachers with information their students might find helpful in discovering career opportunities in the engineering and nuclear fields.

During the sessions, teachers heard presentations by speakers from professions in the engineering, nuclear and environmental fields. Speakers from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control gave an overview of their responsibilities that relate to SRS and its on-going mission of cleaning up Cold War legacy waste. Teachers also heard a presentation by Randy Brown of SRNS Environmental Protection on the various types of radiation and an overview of radiation detection devices.

Photo: Allendale, S.C., teachers Rhonda Farmer (left) and Dorothy Priester examine one of the radiation detection devices featured at the TREAT workshop.

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he Savannah River Site (SRS) recently completed an annual process in K Area that validates the Site’s ongoing commitment to maintaining the safety and security of the

nuclear materials that are stored there.

The mission of K Area is the receipt and safe storage of nuclear materials. Safe storage is validated through the yearly destructive examination of the containers that hold plutonium-bearing materials, called 3013 containers. For over seven years, K Area has performed this mission to support the Department of Energy (DOE) 3013 Surveillance Program. The 3013 Program set the criteria for stabilization of plutonium-bearing materials at DOE facilities to safe and stable forms that can be packaged and placed in storage with minimal surveillance for up to 50 years.

Plutonium material arrives in K Area packaged in 3013 containers. To ensure the 3013 standard is being met, surveillance is performed annually on a number of these containers. The containers are chosen by a working group made up of staff from DOE sites across the DOE complex, called the Materials Identification and Surveillance (MIS) working group.

The containers are placed inside the K Area Interim Surveillance glovebox, which allows employees to open the

containers to gather samples of the oxide, the container itself, and gasses inside the container.

These samples are then sent to the Savannah River National Laboratory for testing and evaluation.

“Completing the Destructive Examinations is yet another way SRS shows that it is committed to safety,” said Beth Hackney, K Area Complex Surveillance Program Authority and MIS Representative. “We are being proactive in making sure the nuclear materials are stored in a safe manner.”

The samples from the nine containers examined this year will be analyzed at SRNL for any indication of degradation. The results will allow the MIS working group to ensure the integrity of 3013 containers is being maintained at the Site.

SRNS verifies safe storage of nuclear materials through annual destructive examinations

To help educate the public about missions and accomplishments at SRS, the SRNS social media team began a new series of posts called #NuclearKnowledge on July 1.

“We want to let the public know what is happening at the Savannah River Site in an easily understandable way,” said Lindsey Evans, Communications Specialist. “Using social media helps us reach a wide audience, including employees.”

#NuclearKnowledge posts so far have included information on the history of P Reactor, the presence of the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory at the Site and the Biomass Cogeneration facility. Future posts will include information about the uses of nuclear materials.

#NuclearKnowledge series begins

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SRNS intern beats the odds to pursue engineering dreams

eating the odds. That’s the story of James Holiday, a summer intern at SRNS. Where most people in his situation would have given up, Holiday found a way to turn his tragedy into triumph.

While most college students are at home recuperating from the arduous tasks of reading complex literature, completing final exams and writing essays, Holiday is spending his eight-week internship in the Process Control and Automation Engineering Department at SRS.

Holiday’s time at SRS is part of an SRNS education outreach program for students interested in learning more about a multitude of professions. One of the objectives of the SRNS program is to provide college students like Holiday the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and level of experience in the science and engineering fields.

A senior at the University of South Carolina (USC), Holiday is pursuing his childhood dream of becoming a mechanical engineer. “To change a person’s life is what I want to do,” said Holiday. He was inspired by a commercial that showed the benefits of an MRI and the gratitude expressed by the patients for whom it has helped. Who knew that this same imaging technology would one day help save his life?

Holiday’s journey to become an engineer hasn’t been an easy one. In March 2010, Holiday, then age 19 and a student at USC Aiken, was involved in a car accident while driving his family to work and school in Barnwell County, S.C. Another motorist ran a stop sign and hit Holiday’s car causing it to spin until it struck a tree. Holiday sustained massive head trauma and was airlifted to the Medical College of Georgia Shock Trauma Unit where he remained under medical care, to include rehabilitation at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital, for 103 days.

Today, Holiday is a happy, healthy young man who looks ahead to the future as an engineer with much anticipation as he enjoys his internship at SRS. “I like the people I work with. They are easy to talk with, very knowledgeable of their jobs and funny,” said Holiday. He is excited about his recent and current projects. One project was to design and help build a metal rack used as a support stand for specialized equipment.

Holiday and another engineering intern have also been asked to design and test a hands-on demonstration to be used by middle school students during “career days” and other similar events. Their goal is to create an intriguing demonstration that will generate interest in the field of engineering.

Alex Henderson, SRNS Senior Technical Advisor, spoke highly of Holiday’s character and work ethic and applauds him for his drive and determination to complete what he started prior to the accident. “He is a very flexible person, agreeable, and easy to get along with. His interest is mechanical engineering, but he has had to do more computer work than expected and is doing a great job with it. Holiday is truly an inspiration, and we are elated to have him interning with us this summer,” said Henderson.

Photo: SRNS engineering intern James Holiday works to design and test a hands-on demonstration project for middle school students.

“To change a person’s life is what I want to do.”

James Holiday

“Completing the Destructive Examinations is yet another way SRS shows that it is committed to safety. We are

being proactive in making sure the nuclear materials are stored in a safe manner.”

Beth Hackney

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Electric car program at SRS helps promote “Green-Fleet” practices

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ot long after DOE-SR and SRNS were selected to participate in a national electric vehicle pilot program, the first electric car and charging station at SRS have arrived.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) leased a 2014 Chevrolet Volt to SRS at a reduced rate and provided a charging station at no additional cost, with DOE-SR and SRNS sharing the cost of its installation. This effort is part of the GSA’s Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) pilot program, which was launched in 2011 after President Obama announced the goal to put one million plug-in electric vehicles on the road by 2015. The program supports the Enterprise•SRS clean energy strategic initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through alternative energy projects.

The Chevy Volt has a 380-mile range on a full charge and full tank of gas. The vehicle solely relies on the battery for the first 38 miles before the battery becomes depleted, and a 1.4 liter gasoline-powered engine runs a generator that charges the battery. It takes approximately four hours to fully recharge, which requires about 60 cents worth of electricity.

A number of the Volt’s innovative tools help drivers remain aware of the amount of electricity allocated to power the vehicle. The digital dashboard contains a spinning green ball on an LCD screen that serves as an efficiency gauge to help drivers optimize energy. A mobile app notifies users when the vehicle is fully charged or when it is disconnected from the charging station.

“This electric vehicle has been a joint effort between DOE-Savannah River, the General Services Administration and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, and furthers these important relationships,” said Chris Goodman, Fleet Manager, DOE-SR. “The Savannah River Site welcomes the opportunity to pursue these new technologies that will help us meet our alternative fuel use goals and reduce our carbon footprint.”

During the past year, SRS has increased their alternative vehicle inventory and reduced the overall size of their fleet to meet the Secretary of Energy’s 35 percent vehicle reduction challenge. The fleet management program continues to meet its goals by promoting “Green-Fleet” sustainability practices. In 2013, the program reduced fleet petroleum use by approximately 19 percent, and they are on track to meet DOE’s overall requirement of 30 percent petroleum reduction by year 2020.

Photo: DOE-SR Fleet Manager Chris Goodman (left) charges the Chevy Volt, the first electric vehicle at SRS. Also on the Fleet Management team are (from left) Tim Armstrong (DOE-SR), Kevin Heath (SRNS) and Pete Ladomirak (SRNS).

SRNS receives national DOE awards for saving millions through new purchasing practicesThe Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Office of Environmental Management (EM) recently honored SRNS with three Supply Chain Management Center (SCMC) achievement awards for 2013. The awards were presented during the EM SCMC Biannual Face-to-Face Meeting, hosted by SRS.

SRNS employees received the “NSE (National Security Enterprise) Strategic Sourcing – FY 13 Commodity Achievement” award for spending at total of $3.1 million using an innovative process that maximizes cost-savings under the NSE enterprise agreements.

SRNS was also recognized with the “EM Strategic Sourcing and eCatalog Achievement” award for the largest number of transactions within EM complex using an electronic catalog system containing thousands of preapproved, volume-discounted items. SRNS employees used the e-catalog purchasing process with specially-developed contracting tools for a record 8,248 transactions last year.

Helena Tirone, SRNS Reengineering Support, also received the “Outstanding Leadership Award” for her efforts involving these accomplishments.

In March 2012, SRNS became the first EM contractor to use these strategic sourcing contracting tools, such as reverse bidding and e-auctioning, from SCMC’s program. During fiscal year 2012 (the first year participating in the program), SRNS achieved significant cost savings.

“Instead of saving in the range of a couple hundred thousand, SRNS is saving several million dollars a year, and that’s after operating this program for just two years,” said Ralph Tennant, Contracting Officer, DOE-NNSA Kansas City Field Office. “SRNS has gone from just being on board and agreeing with us philosophically to now being one of the leaders among the Environmental Management sites.”

Established in 2006 by the NNSA, SCMC began as a center focused on improving the procurement of products and services at seven NSE sites. The SCMC program, based out of an NNSA plant in Kansas City, MO, implemented best practices of spend analysis, reverse bidding and e-auctioning tools for strategic sourcing in order to maximize the value of taxpayer dollars spent at NNSA sites.

This new system made collaboration across NSE sites possible with a new secure internet portal for common access to all sites and procurement software called Ariba, a reverse bidding software in which the vendor with the lowest bid wins the auction. Ariba also involves an automated system that tracks the amount of money spent as well as commodity opportunities.

Each time a transaction or “event” is completed through Ariba, the data is automatically sent to SCMC to keep track of the amount saved. Some of the items procured through Ariba for SRS include commercial commodities such as roofing materials, safety goggles and machine parts as well as services including construction work and staff augmentation, according to Tirone.

When SRNS initially took part in the SCMC initiative, the procurement office had to work through a number of challenges. SRNS employees had recently implemented a complex business and financial software called PeopleSoft. SRNS Information Technology also had to integrate the new SCMC tools with all the existing firewalls.

According to Tirone, learning how to use the new SCMC tools was one of the biggest challenges. Before the change to SCMC in procurement, employees had used the previous system for more than 15 years. The procurement employees had to continue fulfilling their day-to-day, normal process to support SRS while learning how to use brand new tools, such as Ariba, for high-volume purchases as well as the PeopleSoft system.

To help employees stay motivated, Tirone allowed a revised work schedule, developed additional training opportunities and hosted off-site events for the team.

“Our job as an M&O (management and operating) contractor is to achieve the best value for the government and to protect the interests of both the government and SRNS,” said Tirone. “We strive for the SRNS procurement group to be the benchmark that everybody uses.”

Lorri Wright (left) and Helena Tirone discuss the SRNS procurement process.

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Deer hunt program announces schedule

SRS softball tournament raises more than $13,000 for United Way

More than 600 hunters are expected to participate in the annual SRS Deer Hunt Program from Nov. 1-Dec. 6, 2014, at the Savannah River Site.

For the public, six hunts will be held on Saturdays, beginning Nov. 1, and ending on Dec. 6. A hunt for wounded warriors and mobility-impaired hunters is scheduled for Oct. 24.

Wounded warriors and mobility-impaired hunters interested in participating in this year’s hunt may apply at this web site: http://www.srs.gov/general/deer_hunt/hunt.htm. A lottery system is used each year to select participants. Public hunt registration is now closed.

The need for this program is reevaluated annually based on the size of the Site herd and the number of animal-related vehicular accidents.

The program is managed by SRNS. “We are pleased to announce that in cooperation with DOE and the U.S.D.A Forest Service, this year SRS will return to a full program to harvest deer, hogs and coyotes,” said SRNS deer hunt manager Joey Lott.

The reputation for big bucks and plentiful numbers of deer and hogs found throughout the 310 square miles of pristine fields and forest frequently draws hunters from across the nation to SRS each year.

According to Lott, the deer hunts at SRS have been an annual attraction to many local hunters for decades. “Though we’re pleased to have offered this opportunity to thousands of hunters over the years, what’s truly rewarding are the special hunts we organize for our military veterans, wounded warriors and mobility-impaired hunters,” added Lott.

“We’re honored to offer a way to say ‘thank you’ for your service in a way that is highly meaningful to many of our veterans and, at the same time, offer a hunt for those who love the sport, yet cannot participate without physical assistance.”

SRS employees and members of the community competed in the 10th annual SRS Softball Tournament, a tradition that benefits the United Way and draws hundreds of volunteers, players and spectators every year.

SRNS coordinated the event which included nine SRNS teams and three teams from other SRS contractors.

Prior to the event, “owners” raised money for their team, so they could then be eligible to “buy” players, ranging from $20 to $455, depending on skill level. Then, each team earned money toward their designated United Way agency based on how their team finished in the tournament.

“This is such a wonderful tournament that not only promotes camaraderie among the players, but it also raises awareness of the needs in our community. For many years, the site has been kind to support this event by investing both their time and talent,” said Sharon Rodgers, President, United Way of Aiken County.

So far, SRS has raised over $13,000 as a result of the teams’ efforts and the concession stand, which was a joint effort among volunteers from SRNS, United Way of the CSRA and United Way of Aiken County. More than 30 volunteers umpired, kept score and worked at the concession stand.

Tournament organizer Eric Schiefer was an inaugural participant of the SRS Softball Tournament and has played in the highly competitive event every year.

“Ten years ago, I never envisioned that the softball tournament would take off the way it has. The first year we raised over four thousand dollars, but ever since then, we’ve doubled or tripled that amount every year,” said Schiefer, an SRNS engineer.

SRNS Engineering, Murdoch’s Mavericks, Environmental Management Operations and WSI Savannah River Site made it to the final four. WSI defeated Engineering during the last inning of their final game with a score of 19-18.

Aspiring Mid-Career Professionals (AMP) from SRNS recently stepped up to the plate for Buddy Baseball, a volunteer league in Aiken, S.C. for special needs children.

The Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department has organized the Buddy Baseball league for five years. The season runs during the late spring and early summer months for six weeks. During the 2014 season, Buddy Baseball registered 24 players, and games regularly drew more than 100 spectators.

“Buddy Baseball is a highly successful program due to the support and generosity of Buddies who volunteer to assist the children playing,” said Jerry Shedd, head of the Buddy Baseball Board. “The enthusiasm and energy demonstrated by the AMP Buddies made for a meaningful and memorable experience for the players and their families.”

Thirteen AMP volunteers were assigned to help a player or “buddy,” and the volunteers helped the players bat, run the bases and play the infield. During all Buddy Baseball games, no one keeps score, and each player has a chance to hit the ball and run the bases. An announcer calls out each child’s name as they step up to the plate to bat.

“It’s a really good opportunity to support a local league that makes baseball accessible to all,” said SRNS employee Lori Coward. “This was AMP’s first time volunteering for a game, and it was very encouraging to see friends and family cheer for the players as they rounded the bases.”

AMP is a mid-career professionals organization that serves SRNS full-time employees with five to 20 years of work experience.

SRNS employee Lori Coward poses for a photo with her buddy during a Buddy Baseball game in Aiken.

SRNS group pitches in to make kids’ baseball experience a home run

SRNS. Trusted.For diligent environmental stewardship

For reducing the Savannah River Site's Environmental Management operational footprint by a remarkable 85 percent

For successful remediation of more than 5,000 cubic meters of legacy transuranic waste and its shipment out of South Carolina

For international leadership in the radiological cleanup of Japan's Fukushima Daiichi power plant